Saturday, January 18, 2014

Eureka! Russell Galloway's Parents Found!

I've been searching quite awhile for the parents of Milo Galloway, because I believe he is my great-great-great-grandpa Russell Galloway's brother--so his parents are Russell's parents and I was having no luck at all finding Russell's parents. Well, actually I did find them, but I couldn't prove they were who I thought they were, which is the same as not finding them. And so I began the task of trying to prove Milo's parentage. I believed George and Armenia Galloway born in Massachusetts were the likely suspects. Yesterday in one of those genealogical twists of fate, I instead proved the parents of Russell. Which is even better, but I still have to prove Milo and Russell were indeed brothers. Why you ask? Cause I can. I spent yesterday at the office of the Wayne County, New York Historian. I wanted to check three New York State censuses taken in 1855, 1865 and 1875. For reasons unknown to me, Wayne County is not included in those censuses on the Family Search website, necessitating a visit to the historian's office. I've noted all my circumstantial evidence in an earlier post, but to briefly re-cap-- George Galloway was in Vermont in 1800 the same year Milo was born in Vermont. George was in Jefferson County, New York in 1810, where Russell was born in 1807. Next stop-Arcadia New York where all three lived at one time or another as adults, (and when Milo and Russell were children I believe, though you can't see they are together since those early censuses were head of household, but two sons of the right age group were with George) Then in the 1850 Phelps, New York census we get to see George's wife's name at long last--Armenia, and their place of birth, Massachusetts. They are living alone at that point, their sons being grown men, although Russell is also living in Phelps. This is where things stood until 2:34 pm yesterday afternoon. That is when I opened the book containing the 1855 census of Arcadia and saw this entry--Russell Galloway age 48, resident for 44 years, born Jefferson CoHarriet Galloway age 44 wifeSelecta Galloway age 19 daughterGeorge Galloway age 16 sonEdward A. Galloway age 5 son Edwin Galloway age 5 sonArmina Galloway age 78, resident 3 years, Mother born Mass. WidowErastus Galloway age 22 sonEllen Galloway [wife of Erastus]

There it was in black and white, Armina/Armenia Galloway--MOTHER! Believe me, that was not a common name. I still haven't found the record of George and Armenia's marriage which is odd considering the great records Massachusetts kept, but I'll keep searching. Tenacious is my middle name...well,actually it's Mary, but you know what I mean.

Thanks Dara, 99 percent of the time those hunches based on circumstantial evidence are right I've found-- it's finding the proof that's frustrating. I think that 1855 census may be the only tangible bit of evidence that exists in Armenia and Russell's case. I'm sure you'll find yours too.

About Me

I am married and live here in the 'burbs outside Rochester with my husband and terriers Darby and Tallulah. While I work part time at a "day job" genealogy is my true pursuit. I can, and often do get lost in researching my ancestors for hours at a time, they and the times they lived in are an endless fascination.